Support means for serving trays



Feb. 23, 1954 B. WATT 2,670,260 SUPPORT MEANS FOR SERVING TRAYS Filed Oct. 50, 1951 Loyd B. Wazz IN V EN TOR.

197' 7 ORIVA' Y Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED' STATES V PATENT OFFICE 2,670,260 f If SUPPORT MEANS FOR SERVING TRAYS Loyd B. Watt, Spokane, Wash. Application October 30, 1951, Serial No. 253,930 (o1. 311-84) 1 Claim.

The invention is an improved serving tray and has for its principal object to provide a tray with novel means of support, which means are conformable to the surface configuration of various articles upon which one may desire to rest the tray.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a serving tray which while adapted to be supported upon a surface of uneven configuration also may be placed upon a flat surface and he supported in horizontal position.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a serving tray with depending legs, one adjacent each corner, and a resilient band secured at each end to a pair of transversely spaced legs and to the bottom of the tray midway the width thereof by means of a rivet.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a serving tray as described in the paragraph next above, said legs being hingedly connected to the tray and braced by means of rectangular loops pivotally'mounted in the free ends of their respective legs and adapted to have its opposed end removably positioned in a slot for securing the leg in vertical position.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a serving tray as above described with the resilient band formed with an undulatory or serrated lower surface to increase the frictional engagement of the tray and its supporting surface.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an improved serving tray looking from one end and showing the tray supported upon an arcuate surface,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross section of the improved serving tray showing one leg and a portion of the resilient band secured to the leg and at the center of the tray, the view being enlarged over Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified leg and band on the tray,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the legs and its associated parts of the modification shown in Figure 3, and,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a further modification of the invention.

Referring now mare particularly to the drawings, I have shown a serving tray 6 which has the usual four side walls I and a bottom 8 having upper and lower faces 9 and I0.

A resilient band I6 is secured midway its length to the lower face 10 of bottom 8 by means of a rivet I! which has upper and lower heads [8 and [9. The upper head I8 is flat and countersunk in the upper face 9 presenting a flat surface in the tray. From the rivet the band is extended downwardly at an incline to the lower arcuate surfaces M of transversely opposed legs H and passes thereabout and thence upwardly along the outer side face 20 of the leg where it is adheringly secured. The lower or outer face of the band I6 is serrated to provide a frictional bearing face 2| to prevent slipping when the tray is resting upon an uneven or arcuate surface as shown in Figure 1. The serrations also present recesses when the tray is placed upon a narrow fiat surface to engage the upper corners of the surface and support the tray in a horizontal position. y

In Figure 3 I have shown a modified leg 22 which is provided with upper transversely spaced ears 23-23 bent to support a journal pin 24. An integral sleeve 25 is formed on the outer end of arm 26 and the journal pin 24 pivotally passes therethrough. The legs II and their respective arms 26 are thus pivotally secured together.

Adjacent the inner end of arm 26, and in its lower face, I have provided a transverse slot 21, with respect to the arm, which is adapted to receive an end rod 28 of a rectangular looped leg brace 29. The opposed end rod 28 is pivotally mounted in a sleeve 30 formed on the lower end of leg 22. The sleeve 30 presents an arcuate outer face 3| about which band I6 passes and is adheringly secured to the outer face of leg 22. This enables one to fold the legs 22 to the dotted position for nesting the trays when not in use.

A further modification is shown in Figure 4 which comprises the band It having serrations 2| and which has its back adheringly secured to a resilient strip 32 positioned transversely of the tray and secured midway its length at the transverse center of the tray by a rivet II. The bottom 8 of the tray is ribbed at 33 and braces 34 are pivotally carried in sleeves 35 on each end of the strip 32. The are of strip 32 is variable by adjusting brace 34 to the selected ribs 33.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A serving tray including a bottom having a lower face, a pair of resilient bands spaced longitudinally of the bottom and extending transversely thereof, a rivet passing through the bottom and band midway the length of the band and securing the band to the lower face at its transverse center, pairs of transversely opposed arms secured to the face in diametric alignment with said rivet, a sleeve on the outer end of each said arm, a journal pin through each sleeve and extending from the ends thereof, depending legs having ears pivotally mounted on each journal pin, whereby said legs are hingedly connected to their respective arms, a sleeve on the lower end of each said leg, a Horace pivotally carried by.

each said sleeve and notches in the arms adapted to receive the free end of said braces and releasably secure the legs in vertical position, said bands having their outer end portions adheringly secured to companion legs.

LOYD B. WATT.

References Cited in the file of this patent STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,551,452 Arias Aug. 25, 1925 1,908,988 Lack May 16, 1933 2,487,536 Fiscus Nov. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 220,337 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1924 

